[Sham sodomite "marriages" are OK?] Croydon priest who ‘married’ immigrant to help him get a UK passport is reinstated By Gareth_Davies | Posted: March 17, 2015 www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/Croydon-priest-married-immigrant-help-UK-passport/story-26190128-detail/story.html#ixzz3VaDH8WiK Father Donald Minchew entered into a civil partnership with Pakistani national Mustajab Hussain A CATHOLIC priest suspended for ‘marrying’ an immigrant to help him stay in the UK has been reinstated. Father Donald Minchew was removed from his position at St Mary’s Catholic Church and as leader of Croydon Ordinariate a year ago after admitting entering into a civil partnership with Pakistani national Mustajab Hussain. In a letter sent to parishioners last week, Monsignor Keith Newton, of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, said he had decided to lift Father Minchew’s suspension “after much prayer and discussion”. Mgr Newton declined to be interviewed when contacted by the Advertiser but, in a short statement, said he had taken the decision after receiving assurances from the authorities that they “do not want to take it further”. He added that the civil partnership between Fr Minchew, a widower and father-of-four, and Mr Hussain had been dissolved. The Home Office has yet to comment. Croydon priest’s ‘gay marriage’ with immigrant to keep him in the UK The pair entered into the arrangement when Fr Minchew was a Church of England vicar at Parish Church of Saint Michael and All Angels, in Poplar Walk, in 2008 – four years before he was ordained as a Catholic priest. Fr Minchew told the Mail on Sunday, which exposed the arrangement, that he and Mr Hussain were old friends and that their fathers had served together during the Second World War. He said they had not been involved in a sexual relationship, adding that the sham marriage was “the only way I could see of getting him in the country”. In a letter dated March 10, Mgr Newton said the last year had been “somewhat fraught” for the Ordinariate. He wrote: “Fr Donald has had time to reflect on the events which led me to withdraw him from public ministry and, after much prayer and discussion with Fr Donald and the Archbishop of Southwark, I have decided to reinstate him in his priestly ministry.” The decision, he added, presents the opportunity for a “fresh start” and, as a result, the Ordinariate is to move from St Mary’s, in West Croydon, to Virgo Fidelis Church in Upper Norwood. Fr Minchew is due to take Mass on Saturday evening at 6pm. He left St Michael and converted to the Catholic Church after the Church of England allowed women to become bishops. GIFT OF CASH FOR CAR AND PURCHASE OF AUSTRALIAN PROPERTY UNDER INVESTIGATION Fr Minchew was given £33,000 for a new car by a parish committee as a leaving “gift”, the Advertiser can reveal. The sum was awarded by Parish Church of Saint Michael and All Angels’s standing committee after the vicar announced he was converting to Catholicism in 2011. However, members of the St Michael congregation complained that the expenditure Continue Reading

Defining Doctrine Protects Divine Mystery Dusty Gates 3/27/15 www.crisismagazine.com/2015/defining-dogma-enhances-mystery The Western Church is often accused by outsiders of being overly definitive. Even other traditional churches, such as our separated Eastern brethren, consider us to be too tied up in theological formulas. To be fair, Roman Catholics do place a much greater stress on dogmatic definitions than, for example, the Greek Orthodox. The Eastern churches emphasize the mystery of God; the utter unknowability of the Divine. Scholasticism has been found intolerable by the Eastern Orthodox, Protestants, and even many Catholics alike. Dissenters sometimes think that we make doctrinal definitions because we don’t appreciate mystery. Nothing could be further from the truth. Catholics attach such a great importance to precise theological formulas not for their own sake, but specifically to protect the mystery of God’s revelation. In other words, we have to be exact, systematic, and yes, even argumentative, in order to allow for legitimate wonder and awe to flourish. There can be no mysterious grey areas without the proper utilization of pure black and pure white. We do recognize, appreciate, and celebrate the mystery of God, so much so in fact that we are willing to put in the necessary intellectual work to make sure that this mystery is preserved, promoted, and allowed to captivate our minds and hearts in a way that only mystery can. The wonder we cherish is not a wonder of undirected confusion based on the acceptance of every idea offered to us: that would be wandering, not wondering. Agnostics have a sense of wonder, it could be said, but certainly not the same kind of wonder as believers. No, our wonder must be built upon the ability to accept some propositions and reject others, a discerning process which leads us in a particular direction, though our destination always remains beyond our reach. As believers our wonder is based in truth, a truth which offers us definitions and doctrines that we can understand, at least to a degree. That understanding we grapple with does not take away our amazement, but leads us to a richer and more authentic experience of that which is truly amazing. Catholics are the most imaginative people in the world, and also the most rooted in reality. For us, imagination is not something which takes us away from reality, but something which gives us a glimpse into reality that can only be found by the faculties of the spirit. In his book Imagination in Place, Wendell Berry put it this way: Fundamentalists of both science and religion do not adequately understand or respect imagination. Is imagination merely a talent, such as a good singing voice, the ability to make things up or think things up or get ideas? Or is it, like science, a way of knowing things that can be known in no other way? We have much reason to think it is a way of knowing things not otherwise knowable. As the word itself suggests, it is the power to make Continue Reading

[While the Holy Father may not have a hidden agenda, the good Monsignor does: He doesn't agree with the contents of the letter! (see comment below)] Why I didn’t sign the priests’ letter urging the synod to stand firm on marriage Far from having any hidden agenda, Francis genuinely does not know what to do about the divorced and remarried by Mgr Keith Barltrop posted Friday, 27 Mar 2015 www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2015/03/27/why-i-didnt-sign-the-priests-letter-urging-the-synod-to-stand-firm-on-marriage/ ‘Deep disturbance” that Cardinal Vincent Nichols pressured priests not to sign the recent letter to the Catholic Herald on the synod; admiration for the “brave priests” who resisted “intimidation by senior churchmen” to pledge their loyalty to Church teaching on marriage; even a suggestion that the signatories will be assigned to “deadbeat parishes” as a punishment: such are some of the emotive comments on social media about this letter. In a world where everyone with a cause seeks to use social media to gain adherents, the cardinal might have anticipated that priests worried about the synod, and more generally about Pope Francis, would resort to the media. After all, priests, like others drawn to radical movements, often feel rather unempowered, and may excitedly jump on any bandwagon that promises them a taste of real influence. Like several of my priest friends, I decided not to sign the letter. Not that I lack sympathy with those disturbed by this papacy and the synod. In fact that is precisely the point: a priest is surely called to listen attentively and with empathy to all people, both those worried about unfaithfulness to tradition, and those who long for an alternative approach, theologically coherent and pastorally sensitive, to remarried divorcees and gay people. A priest is a bridge-builder (pontifex), an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor 5:20), who died to gather into one the scattered children of God (Jn 11:51-2), not a spokesman for a party. By conveying understanding of those with whom he may not agree, as well as explaining his own convictions, he is able to be a minister of the Incarnate Word rather than a politician. But, of course, politics is always the easier path, as Charles Péguy never tired of saying. These are critical times for the Church. The spectre of disunity and worse hovers in the background. Disagreements about the scope and purpose of Vatican II, held in check by St John Paul II and his successor, are now being aired in a most divisive spirit. Does not the priests’ letter about the synod tacitly invite a response from “the other side”, no doubt soon to be read in the “liberal” Tablet rather than the “conservative” Herald? A cardinal recently suggested to me that Pope Francis, far from having any hidden agenda, genuinely does not know what to do about the divorced and remarried. As is plain from the biographies, Francis is a Jesuit to his fingertips, leaving everyone free to express their views, and then applying Ignatian discernment to the ensuing experiences of consolation and desolation. It is understandable Continue Reading

[Time to pull the plug on the pope's paper?] Vatican newspaper runs article supporting France’s ‘stealth euthanasia’ bill Hilary White www.lifesitenews.com/news/vatican-newspaper-runs-article-supporting-frances-stealth-euthanasia-bill ROME, March 27, 2015 (LifeSiteNews.com) – With the passage of a bill by the French National Assembly that establishes a “right” to “continuous deep sedation until death,” while defining nutrition and hydration as “treatment” that can be withdrawn, the reaction of the official Catholic news organs are showing a deep rift in the Church over euthanasia. While activists in France and abroad have condemned the law as euthanasia in everything but name, L’Osservatore Romano, the quasi official newspaper of the Vatican, has given the bill a stamp of approval. The French National Assembly approved the measure 436 to 34 on March 17 and is expected to be passed in the Senate by the summer. Alex Schadenberg, the head of an international group of anti-euthanasia activists, told LifeSiteNews that it is not correct to say, as many mainstream media outlets have, that the new law legalizes the ethical use of sedation for people who are in intractable pain, “because that is ethical and permitted already.” “The proper use of sedation is for palliative reasons only, and of course, France did not need a bill to legalize what was legal and ethical already,” Schadenberg said. “The French law permits people to request to be sedated, in a similar manner to euthanasia. The French law therefore permits the abuse of sedation.” But Dr. Ferdinando Cancelli, an expert in palliative care and a bioethicist who writes regularly for L’Osservatore Romano, said that the French law is “far from a perspective of euthanasia.” “Deep sedation,” Cancelli wrote, “still remains a tool that never shortens the life of the patient but soothes pain when it is intolerable.” He added that the “controversies” surrounding the passage of the bill have been “decidedly counterproductive and often superficial.” “In the face of powerful pressures to shorten the lives of seriously ill patients the response of the law has been disappointing for those who thought it was time to introduce a right to die. “Lawmakers here [in France] have looked at reality with clarity and courage and, after careful reflection, have drafted a text that does not upset the spirit of one of the most advanced laws on the subject of end of life, a law that has some hope of holding up in the face of pressure for euthanasia because it was made by those who know the subject.” At the same time, the newspaper of the Italian bishops’ conference, Avvenire, have sharply criticised the bill, calling it “French euthanasia,” and echoing the objections of anti-euthanasia activists that the notion of “deep sedation” is simply another form of stealth euthanasia. “If the practice becomes widespread,” Avvenire said, “the new option is likely to increasingly deter the development of palliative care, which in the French medical world today remains largely unequipped, as shown by the latest reports.” Avvenire condemned “ambiguities of the draft” that have “pushed the associations for Continue Reading

I was looking for a quote from one of the saints on the loss of contemplative orders. It begins something like this..woe to the church if it loses her contemplatives……anyone know it ? While searching for it I came across this little article by a sister: berkleycenter.georgetown.edu/forum/what-is-it-like-being-married-to-jesus What Is It Like Being Married to Jesus? Sr Helena Burns FSP  November 5, 2014 I’m a nun. Technically, I’m a religious sister, because “nun” refers to cloistered contemplatives. But no matter. We answer to nun, too, because it’s in common parlance and rhymes with a lot of words, like fun. So, what’s it like being married to Jesus? Real. Very real. It is not poetry. It is not metaphor. It is not make-believe. Do you think I would give up my life to play pretend princess? Not on your life. Mother Teresa once said, “If you are called, you will know it, and you won’t be able to explain it to anyone.” But fools rush in, so here goes. Nuns often get referred to as “brides of Christ,” which is what we are, but after all these years, I also feel like his wife, his old lady, not just his blushing bride. How can this be? Don’t look at me. When I was nine, I planned on living in a farmhouse in New Hampshire with my husband, ten boys, and a sheepdog. (I wanted boys because I felt they just weren’t being raised properly these days.) By the time I was 15, I set my sights on being an ornithologist (specializing in raptors) and most likely living in the wild (a husband was welcome to join me if he could keep up). But then Jesus had to go and propose to me. God Proposes It didn’t feel like a proposal at first. It felt like a very serious, urgent invitation to be God’s servant, his handmaid, his little worker bee. (You know that worker honey bees are all feminine, right? There are only a few drones [males] in every hive.) I fought with him for two years and then surrendered. Why did I say yes? It was becoming more and more apparent that I had no idea how to make myself happy any more. Any more? Before I met God, I had hobbies and activities that I enjoyed intensely. Actually, I did everything intensely (type A). When I started searching for the meaning of life (intensely), all my joys began to dim because they seemed meaningless if there was no ultimate purpose to everything. Then I met God and all my loves were returned to me, but in a new way. Ever since I met God I wasn’t able to enjoy my favorite things in the same way. Before I knew God, they were everything to me. They were all I had. But now they were no longer ends in themselves, but pleasant occupations along a journey to a bigger destination. God was re-ordering my priorities and my life. Oh, I Continue Reading

The controversy surrounding Catholic Relief Services By Matt C. Abbott RenewAmerica 3/26/15 (I’d first like to commend the pro-life leaders who staged a peaceful protest at House Speaker John Boehner’s office the morning of March 25. Click here to read about it: www.lifesitenews.com/news/pro-life-leaders-arrested-as-they-protest-gop-leaderships-betrayal-outside ) (Also, Michael Hichborn, president of the Lepanto Institute, recently posted a very good open letter to Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski regarding his unjust treatment of a Catholic schoolteacher. Click here to read it: www.lepantoinstitute.org/uncategorized/an-open-letter-to-bishop-bootkoski/ ) Over the last several years, there has been considerable controversy surrounding the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS), both of which were founded by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The focus of this particular column is CRS: www.renewamerica.com/columns/abbott/150326

Martyrology-March 29th Roman Martyrology-March 29th-on this date in various years- For 2015 Palm Sunday, when our Lord Jesus Christ, according to the prophecy of Zacharias, entered into Jerusalem, seated upon the foal of an ass, and was met by the multitude bearing palms. At Heliopolis in Lebanon, under Julian the Apostate, St. Cyril, deacon and martyr, whose body was opened and his liver taken out by the heathens who devoured it like wild beasts. In Persia, the holy martyrs Jonas and Barachisius, under the Persian king Sapor. Jonas was put under the pressure of a vice, his bones broken, and cut asunder; Barachisius was suffocated by burning pitch being poured into his throat. At Nicomedia, the passion of the holy martyrs Pastor, Victorinus, and their companions. In Africa, under the Arian king Genseric, during the persecution of the Vandals, the holy confessors Armogastes, a count, Mascula, Archimimus, and Saturus, master of the king’s household. After enduring many severe torments, as well as insults, for the confession of the truth, they completed their tests with glory. In the town of Asti, St. Secundus, martyr. In the monastery of Luxeuil, the death of Abbot St. Eustasius, a disciple of St. Columban, who had under his guidance nearly six hundred monks. Eminent in sanctity, he was also renowned for miracles. And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins. R. Thanks be to God.

I don’t know what the author of the piece means by “betray Bishop McElroy” in the headline (hence my added interrobang “[!?]“). According to the minutes of the meeting, Bishop McElroy, criticizes Fr. Illo’s decision to dispense with female altar servers and an attempt to “wrap [the archbishop] in the flag” of apparent support for his policy ( ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/san-francisco-priests-council-debates-pr-disaster-parish ): Toward the end of the meeting, then-Auxiliary Bishop Robert McElroy suggested that San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone issue a directive stating disagreement with Illo’s exclusion of altar girls, the minutes report. McElroy … “distinguished between personnel issue and the policy issue,” the minutes say, explaining that personnel issues belong to the archbishop. However, the minutes continue, McElroy said “excluding girls from being altar servers is ‘invidious discrimination’ and to do this in this day and age in our culture has no justification.” McElroy “mentioned the Pope recently spoke on this very theme and said ‘to live by exclusion is a corrupting method of living’” and “further stated that if this was just a case of a pastor acting rashly, he could be talked to.” “But the dilemma, in [McElroy's] view,” the minutes say, “is that Fr. Illo repeatedly stated in public interviews that he proceeded with the Archbishop’s permission. That was the killer … and that the public perception will be that the Archbishop is in favor of these actions.” Enemies of Archbishop Cordileone betray[!?] Bishop McElroy, fellow Priests Posted by A Shepherd’s Voice 3/27/15 johnmalloysdb.blogspot.com/2015/03/enemies-of-archbishop-cordileone-betray.html A week to the day before Holy Thursday, a priest or priests from the Archdiocese of San Francisco seems hellbent (we hope the term does not become literally true) on following Judas rather than Jesus. Yesterday, the National Catholic Reporter published the confidential minutes of a “mid-February” meeting of the Council of Priests of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. The Reporter “obtained a copy of the minutes from an anonymous priest.” The priest who gave the minutes to the Reporter not only violated the confidentiality of his fellow priests at the meeting, but also that of Bishop Robert McElroy, who was there also. The minutes appeared under the byline of the Reporter’s Dan Morris-Young, who has authored a recent series of articles attacking the new policy of Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, which is designed to restore fidelity to the Catholic Church in the high schools of the Archdiocese. The portions of the minutes the Reporter published dealt with Fr. Joseph Illo at Star of the Sea. One of the commenters to the story said: “I’ve heard from several friends now about the parish where the pastor introduced the Archdiocesan Appeal a few weeks ago by noting that it’s as likely to be successful ‘as selling signed LA Dodgers photos to SF Giants fans.’ Many people I know gave $1 to support our pastors’ ‘percentage contributing’ targets, but no more.” Well, that certainly isn’t Fr. Illo’s parish. About a month into the Archbishop’s (not ‘Archdiocesan’) Annual Appeal, Fr. Illo’s parish has already exceeded their assessment, and Continue Reading

[I prefer the former title, because the latter title implies that it ain't here yet, and many traditional-minded Catholics know that it's already here] The Coming Schism Or The One Already Here? (Creative Minority Report www.creativeminorityreport.com/2015/03/the-coming-schism-or-one-already-here.html ) or The Schism Nobody[!?] Sees Coming (National Catholic Register www.ncregister.com/blog/pat-archbold/the-schism-nobody-sees-coming#ixzz3Ve6jWY2T) by Pat Archbold 03/27/2015 Ever since the announcement of the Synod on the Family and Cardinal Kasper’s infamous kickoff speech, people have been predicting that traditionalists might schism because, like Inspector Javert, they just can’t handle all that awesome mercy. People across the ideological spectrum have speculated what will happen when the Church realizes that Jesus was a big meanie and finally admits the divorced and remarried to communion. Will traditionalists finally realize the dreams of their schismatic little hearts and join the SSPX? Will Cardinal Burke chain himself to St. Peters with several litres of gasoline and the European equivalent of a Bic lighter threatening self-immolation unless we burn the divorced at the stake? Will God smite the Church for even considering such heresy? In all the speculation, whether you think it is a disaster or the awesomest thing since communion in the hand, there is one common thread. Everyone expects that the progressives will get what they want. The deck is stacked after all. But what if that single presumption is wrong? What happens if, by the protection of the Holy Spirit, the Pope does what Popes are supposed to do and he says, “No!” What happens if the Pope says, “Sorry, Jesus was pretty unequivocal about this and you can’t separate the pastoral from the doctrinal, you can’t separate truth and mercy?” What happens then? Well, to find that answer, we don’t have to look very far. We just need to look at the words of Cardinal Marx, the president of the German bishops’ conference, and a leading proponent of mercy-palooza. But concerning pastoral practice, he said the German Church “cannot wait” for synodal statements, as marriage and family ministry has to be undertaken now, according to an article in Die Tagespost, translated by the blog Catholic Conclave.Cardinal Marx, the archbishop of Munich and Freising, said as far as doctrine is concerned, the German episcopate remains in communion with the Church, but on individual issues of pastoral care, “the synod cannot prescribe in detail what we have to do in Germany.”The German bishops want to publish their own pastoral letter on marriage and family after the synod, the article said.“We are not just a subsidiary of Rome,” Cardinal Marx said. “Each episcopal conference is responsible for the pastoral care in their culture and has to proclaim the Gospel in its own unique way. We cannot wait until a synod states something, as we have to carry out marriage and family ministry here.” I can’t translate German, but I am pretty good at translating Progressive. The closest translation is “You better do it, Rome, or we will.” Remember, one of the reasons that Pope Francis even called a Synod on this Continue Reading

Illuminati Gives Pope Francis Two-Year Extension March 27, 2015 by Admin www.eyeofthetiber.com/2015/03/27/illuminati-gives-pope-francis-two-year-extension/ In a private meeting with cloaked members of the Illuminati this morning, Pope Francis reportedly signed a two-year extension to his pontificate, with a 3-year possible extension after that. The Illuminati, who have run the Church behind the scenes since the 1700’s, reported that, although Francis’ pontificate could still end whenever they saw fit, that Francis was for now technically guaranteed at least a few more years. “Our society has found his contributions good up till now, which is why we’ve decided to allow him a few more years,” an anonymous member of The Ancient and Illuminated Seers of Bavariato told EOTT in an exclusive interview. “His desire for a new world order has very much impressed us, and we hope that he continues his work to help us take over the world.” The source went on to say that they had considered giving Francis a longer extension, but that they were weary of doing so ever since the “Benedict debacle.” According to the source, the Vatican is scheduled to have “underground meetings” with members of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, as well as President Obama this fall to discuss how best to proceed with the brainwashing of the unsuspecting masses. “It is our belief that, with Grand Mage Francis at the helm of one of our numerous tentacles, so to speak, that he will continue his work to convince the Catholic masses that various world markets working, more or less, separately from one another, will one day lead to a global crash. In the meantime, we, the private members of the elite, in conjunction with leaders of the world’s major banks will continue to create inflations and recessions in order to manipulate the world markets, thus proving Francis’ theories. Then, when the global economic crisis has been created, we will manage the crises, which we hope will convince the masses that a New World Order run by us is the best option and only option.”

[The "Vietnamese church model" in action] Vinh, Vietnam: government uses violence to drive out Catholics from their parish The authorities targeted the small, remote parish of Dông Yên. Most Catholics have left, but about 150 families have decided to stay. Police carried out a raid, injuring several parishioners, a few days ago. The bishop of Vinh expressed his solidarity with the victims. 3/28/15 www.asianews.it/news-en/Vinh:-government-uses-violence-to-drive-out-Catholics-from-their-parish-33843.html Vinh (AsiaNews/EdA) – The authorities have targeted again the small, remote parish of Dông Yên, in the diocese of Vinh, in the northern province of Nghe An, and used force to drive the faithful out of the area. Most Catholics (80 per cent) have already left of their own accord to rebuild their community elsewhere, obeying government plans to redevelop the area. However, a group of parishioners (some 150 households) have refused to move to a different place. Since things began however, pressures from local authorities on those holding out have become heavier, leading to the use of violence to evict the remaining residents. After a local school refused to admit the children from the remaining families, police violently attacked local Church properties on 17 March. A few days later, on 20 March, the local bishop, Mgr Paul Nguyen Thai Hop, received a delegation that described the events of the previous days. Along with local priests, the prelate heard their complaints and tried to solve the many problems the residents face. Dông Yên Parish is located in an area that became front-page news in 2012 when Vietnamese authorities decided to build deep-sea port facilities. This required relocating scores of Catholic families. Most accepted the government’s offer for compensation and relocation a few dozen kilometers away. Some parishioners rejected the proposal outright, pointing out that the compensation was insignificant compared to the losses suffered. Pressures from the authorities intensified last year, culminating in the exclusion of Catholic children from local schools in September. Tensions climaxed with a punitive police raid on 17 March, which involved the parish, the hall where catechism was taught, the former rectory and other church buildings. Several parishioners were also injured in the incident.

To Discredit the Traditionalist Movement: What Really Motivates the Neo-Catholic Witch Hunters Written by Christopher A. Ferrara remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/articles/item/1631-to-discredit-the-traditionalist-movement-what-really-motivates-the-neo-catholic-witch-hunters My previous article discussed Karl Keating’s latest exercise in traditionalist bashing: his self-published book The New Geocentrists. Herewith some further considerations prompted by the book. The positions this newspaper has taken on the crisis in the Church since the immediate aftermath of the Second Vatican Council, when The Remnant was founded, have been vindicated beyond reasonable dispute by historical events. Only the obtuse or the willfully blind can continue to maintain that the “renewal of Vatican II” has been anything but an unprecedented disaster, leading Paul VI himself to lament very early on that “the smoke of Satan” had entered the Church—which, indeed, it had thanks to the “opening to the world” Pope Paul likewise lamented as “a veritable invasion of the Church by worldly thinking.” As this total debacle continues to unfold, the neo-Catholic establishment appears increasingly desperate to discredit the traditionalist position. Having no rational argument or empirical evidence to support their rapidly crumbling position, however, neo-Catholic spokesmen have resorted to the rhetorical toolbox of the demagogue: insults, ridicule, and character assassination of particular people in order to discredit the traditionalist movement as a whole. In short, the classic ad hominem fallacy. There are crude practitioners of this demagoguery such as Mark Shea, a veritable Vesuvius of vituperation whose vulgar eruptions appall even some of his fans. As one of Shea’s disgusted followers wrote: “I continue mostly agreeing with you, Mr. Shea, but increasingly, I find myself entirely repulsed by your sheer nasty caustic abrasiveness.” Then there are the subtler, but nonetheless transparent, practitioners of the same unworthy polemic. Keating is such a one, aptly described by one critic as “an SPLC-style muckraker.” The Polemic of Demonization Keating’s book, intentionally or not, follows one of Saul Alinsky’s famous “Rules for Radicals,” specifically Rule 12: “Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.” Cut off the support network and isolate the target from sympathy. Go after people and not institutions; people hurt faster than institutions. (This is cruel, but very effective. Direct, personalized criticism and ridicule works.) That is exactly what Keating does in his book, which is essentially a series of unflattering portraits of his various targets—me included, albeit only briefly enough to make sure I am tarred along with all of the others. (I gave a friendly interview to a geocentrist, so that makes me one of “The New Geocentrists.”) The tenor of Keating’s “argument” is: “Wow folks, aren’t these people just nuts?” As Keating himself admits: “The focus is more on the people than on their scientific and religious claims.” Because “people hurt faster than institutions,” as Alinsky recognized, it is better to attack the reputations of particular traditionalists than to attempt to refute the positions their movement advances. This has become the basic strategy of neo-Catholic pundits in their effort to discredit the movement. Keating’s application of the method bears some further examination as an Continue Reading

BREAKING: The SSPX’s relations with Rome, according to Archbishop Pozzo Written by Michael Matt | Editor 3/27/15 remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/fetzen-fliegen/item/1630-breaking-the-sspx-s-relations-with-rome-according-to-archbishop-pozzo Bishop Fellay to Archbishop Pozzo: “It is necessary to present to the Roman authorities the Society’s positions in their entirety, and not to waver on these positions, which are merely the positions of all the popes before Vatican II.” Bravo, Excellency! Perhaps the Vatican will now come to understand that their problem with the Society of St. Pius X is not some imagined “schismatic spirit” borne out of intransigence and traditionalist arrogance, but rather the SSPX’s sacred duty before God to defend and proclaim the Catholic Faith, whole and entire, exactly as it was handed down to them by their fathers. It is the Vatican’s post-conciliar watering down of the ‘Faith of our Fathers’ that creates the impasse to reconciliation, not stubborn obstinacy on the part of the SSPX, which has in our opinion demonstrated admirable restraint in recent years in attempting to make this point clear to a Vatican bureaucracy steeped in scandal and confusion. From where many of us are sitting, it is the Vatican, and not the SSPX, that needs to return to the full embrace of Holy Mother Church, her constant magisterium, her legitimate liturgy and her unchangeable dogmas. Or, to put it another way, rank Modernism is the problem, not Tradition and certainly not traditionalists. The ball is in the Vatican’s court. It has become clear to faithful Catholics all over the world that the moment the Vatican determines to abandon the diabolical “spirit of Vatican II” and all the confusion that spirit has spawned, the so-called SSPX “schism” will vanish into thin air. For that wholly Catholic intention let us pray to the Lord. Read the full SSPX report on this development here: sspx.org/en/news-events/news/sspxs-relations-rome-pozzo-7571

[Including Pope Francis, although His Holiness equates it with catechism classes] Online Magazine Hypes ‘Yogaphobic’ Catholic Priests By Matthew Balan | March 28, 2015 | 10:40 AM EDT newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2015/03/28/online-magazine-hypes-yogaphobic-catholic-priests Andrea R. Jain bemoaned how a “growing number of individuals and institutions oppose yoga, and actively encourage fear of it” in a Thursday item on Quartz, an online magazine from the parent company of The Atlantic. Despite passing mentions of opposition from evangelical Christians, such as Southern Baptist leader Albert Mohler, the Indiana University-Perdue University Indianapolis professor devoted the bulk of her attention on high-profile “yogaphobia” in the Catholic Church. Jain led her article, “Catholic priests are stirring up an epidemic of yogaphobia” (which was promoted on Yahoo!’s main page) by asserting that “we see yoga practically everywhere we turn, from strip-mall yoga studios to advertisements for the Gap. So it seems reasonable to assume that yoga is near-universally accepted, if not practiced.” The professor continued with her “actively encourage fear of it” statement, and cited four examples of people who condemn the Hindu exercise: Yoga is satanic and “leads to evil,” warned [Father] Gabriele Amorth, Italian priest and chief exorcist for the Diocese of Rome, reported Vatican Insider in Nov. 2011. Three years later in July 2014, Father Padraig O’Baoill of County Donegal, Ireland, warned his parishioners against “endangering” their souls by practicing yoga, which he called “unsavoury.” Other high-profile opponents of yoga in the US include Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Pat Robertson, television evangelist and founder of the Christian Coalition of America. The Indiana-based academic then outlined how she defined “yogaphobia” in the Christian world: It’s what I call the Christian yogaphobic position. The danger of yoga, according to yogaphobics, is its Hindu essence, thought to be incompatible with Christianity…In one of the most high-profile cases of Christian yogaphobia, in Feb. 2013, some parents in Encinitas, California, complained that yoga classes from their kids’ public schools were promoting Hinduism. Supported by the National Center for Law & Policy, an evangelical Christian civil liberties organization, the parents sued their school district for introducing religion into the curriculum. Although the judge ruled in favor of the school district, the fight continues. Even Pope Francis, idol of the leftist media, has become part of this yogaphobic maelstrom. At one Jan. 9, 2015 morning mass in the Santa Marta residence in Vatican City, the Pope spoke of that day’s gospel reading, and mentioned that only the Holy Spirit could open peoples’ hearts and free them to love, no matter how many catechism courses, spirituality courses, zen courses or yoga courses they took. Jain then gave her left-leaning/pro-yoga spin on the pontiff’s words, as she attacked how a “conservative” priest supposedly spun the Pope’s words: It didn’t seem like an intentional dig. The Pope had, after all, listed yoga alongside catechism classes and so did not set it apart as a practice that Catholics should avoid altogether, or as something incompatible with Catholic identity. Rather, he seemed to Continue Reading

Diocesan mouthpiece: Uses the diocese would not permit under the new contracts: “Nothing that sells alcohol, adult entertainment or to a church (group) inconsistent with what Catholics believe.” Some churches have been sold to Protestant groups. “This [SSPX] group makes itself appear as a Catholic church. A Protestant group does not[!?]” “Rogue” Catholics in Society of St. Pius X to reopen West End church Parishioners are busy cleaning St. James Church in the West End as they prepare for this weekend’s Mass and re-blessing of the church. By Bobby Kerlik Friday, March 27, 2015 triblive.com/news/adminpage/8060249-74/church-society-diocese#ixzz3VhtdeVJs A breakaway faction of the Roman Catholic Church at odds with the Vatican and the Diocese of Pittsburgh will reopen the diocese’s former St. James Church in the West End on Saturday, prompting warnings from Bishop David Zubik to churchgoers. Members of the group — Society of St. Pius X — view themselves as Roman Catholic but reject changes from the Second Vatican Council between 1962 and 1965. The congregation here does not answer to Zubik. “All we want to do is what the church has always done. Wherever you see Society of St. Pius X, it’s a growing fruit. We want to help the Catholic Church,” said the Rev. Patrick Rutledge, leader of the parish. “We offer the Mass of 1962. … We’re not a cult. We’re not a small group stuck in the 1950s. We’re really alive. We brought Catholic life back to the West End.” The purchase and planned reopening of the former diocesan church building, which will be called St. James Church, raised concerns in the diocese and with Zubik. “It’s sad because that’s a community that has separated themselves from the church, in large measure due to the changes of Vatican II. What makes this a concern is that it’s in a church that used to be one of our own,” Zubik said. “My concern is that there will be people who think it’s a legitimate Catholic church. We don’t want people to be misled.” The Vatican II changes include the widespread use of common language instead of Latin and other changes in how Mass is celebrated. Zubik said it’s his hope that the Society of St. Pius X will be reunited with the full church. He pointed to traditional Latin Masses offered in the diocese at St. John XXIII parish in the North Side. Society of St. Pius X Masses are in Latin. The path to worshipping in a regular church building has been long for the 300-member congregation. Worshippers celebrated Mass for the past 18 years at Our Lady of Fatima in Collier, a former school. The diocese earlier declined to sell a now-closed church in Munhall to group, Rutledge said. The Rev. Ron Lengwin, spokesman for the diocese, said St. James closed in 2004 and was sold a year later to a person who used it as an art gallery. The society bought the building last year. Parishioners and clergy smiled Friday as they viewed their newly Continue Reading

[A potpourri of Medjumania] Further evidence that things have run amok with Medjugorje… Posted by Diane Korzeniewski 3/28/15 te-deum.blogspot.com/2015/03/further-evidence-that-things-have-run.html Just when you thought things couldn’t get any stranger with Medjugorje, we learn of special, “Medjugorje shoes.” But wait, they are marked down from $329 to $159. Spinning off of what a friend said, click them three times and you’ll be home in Herzegovina. They are made of leather, but it doesn’t specify what kind. I’m thinking snake skin leather that comes with a supply of snake oil. Look, it’s very rare that I poke fun at this stuff, but this is so far outside of bounds, I couldn’t resist. And, I had to take snapshots because I couldn’t believe what I was seeing at the Crown of Stars blog and figured it might disappear once reaction gets out. I’d love to see the reaction of Pope Francis to this one. And the other half… And, the blogger, BG, thinks it was modeled after Krizevac. “Apparitions” are for sale… While we are on the subject, it looks like Ivan is back producing for the “apparition” industry with his 206 Tours. If the CDF intervened here in the United States to stop clergy and faithful from participating in events that presume authenticity, I’m wondering if they have done likewise in other countries, including Bosnia-Herzegovina where Ivan seems to be focusing his attention. Granted, it seems he is having “apparitions” on demand in his own home, but with other people who are paying. This is, like I explained last time, holding a public apparition in a private residence. Here are a few snapshots from the 206 Tours page from a few minutes ago. On the “Specials” page, we find this (I saved PDF’s of these webpages taken today, so if they disappear, let me know and I’ll upload those for reference). The rest of this comes from the main 206 Tours page for Medjugorje. That text certainly presumes authenticity of his apparitions. It does not leave the question to the Holy See as to whether or not the lady “appearing” to Ivan is the Blessed Virgin Mary; the advertisement makes it de facto. So, they are effectively selling the “apparitions.” Here is the text from above if you care to read it. ABOUT IVAN DRAGICEVIC:More than any other of the visionaries, Ivan Dragicevic (born May 25th 1965) has brought the apparitions to America: The Virgin Mary appears to the visionaries no matter where they are in the world, and upon his marriage to Laureen Murphy in 1994, Ivan has shared his time between Boston and Medjugorje between which he travels back and forth. The couple have three children: Two sons and a daughter. As a child Ivan was not particularly religious and he could barely wait for Sunday Mass to end. That changed abruptly when the apparitions began and a few months later Ivan entered the Franciscan seminary in Visoko. Later he had to give up a priestly vocation because his academic abilities Continue Reading

[The Francis effect in the Philippines] Filipino Bishops Reverse Position on LGBT Non-Discrimination Bill March 25, 2015 In a reversal from their earlier position, the Catholic bishops of the Philippines have endorsed an LGBT non-discrimination bill, with only one reservation. Earlier this month, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines sent a pastoral guidance letter to dioceses endorsing non-discrimination as a “Christian imperative,” reports Gay Star News. Archbishop Socrates Villegas, the conference’s president, said further: ” ‘Insofar as the proposed piece of legislation renders illegitimate the relegation of persons with sexual orientation and gender identity issues to citizens of a lower category enjoying fewer rights, the CBCP cannot but lend its support to this proposed legislative measure.’ ” ‘We must however reiterate that none must be demeaned, embarrassed, or humiliated for reasons of sexual orientation and gender identity.’ “ This support comes as legislators are about to pass a Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity bill, which the bishops opposed in 2011. During a committee hearing earlier this year, a representative of the conference actually opposed this current bill saying some forms of discrimination were acceptable. The only caveat desired by the bishops now is that they retain full control of who is admitted into the priesthood, reserving the right to discriminate including due to sexual orientation. The bishops’ initial opposition to protecting the rights of all people has clearly changed. Perhaps it is due to Pope Francis’ recent visit and his ongoing emphasis on mercy and the dignity of all persons: the Francis Effect. Now, Archbishop Villegas is telling Filipino Catholics that sexual orientation and gender identity are gifts from God and, as such, are not chosen. What other fruits can we expect for LGBT equality in this heavily Catholic nation?

[More moral madness from Germany] German Religious Superiors Call for Rethinking about Gay Couples March 28, 2015 Germany’s religious superiors of men’s and women’s communities released a statement that calls for a more expansive understanding of sexuality and, specifically, a rethinking of the church’s treatment of same-gender couples. The German Conference of Religious Superiors prepared the eight-page statement for that nation’s bishops as part of their broader preparations for the upcoming Synod of Bishops. In it, the 430 superiors, who represent the country’s 22,800 religious, note that most lesbian and gay people feel unwelcome. The National Catholic Reporter quoted from the document: ” ‘Christians of homosexual orientation talk to us quite openly about how they feel that they are just not accepted,’ the statement said. “Many gay people aspire to a Christian lifestyle and to lifelong, faithful partnerships, but they cannot accept that the church requires them to remain celibate. More and more Catholics in city parishes no longer think that blessing gay partnerships would push Christian marriage into the closet, the statement said. They deplore that so many gay people are leaving or have long since left the church because they feel unaccepted, it continued.” More generally, the statement appeals to church leaders to trust the faithful, who understand sexuality as “important and precious” while jettisoning unhealthy ideals from the past. The superiors state: ” ‘The faithful in the core sectors of our communities specifically appeal to those responsible in the church to put greater trust in them…They would certainly welcome more help in decisions of conscience but are critical of pastors who interfere with a heavy hand’. . . ” ‘Our church must be an inviting church. Public interest in the questions of marriage, family and sexuality have been aroused by the Episcopal Synod’s dialogue process. Let us humbly and courageously use this opportunity to find new, long overdue answers to these questions together…This is a good pastoral chance to do so — let us use it with the strength that God gives us!’ “

Martyrology-March 30th Roman Martyrology-March 30th-on this date in various years- At Rome, on the Appian Way, the martyrdom of the tribune blessed Quirinus, who had been baptized with all his household by Pope St. Alexander when he was imprisoned in their house. Under Emperor Adrian, he was delivered to the judge Aurelian, and because he persevered in the confession of faith, his tongue was torn out, he was stretched on the rack, his hands and feet were cut off, and the sword completed his course of martyrdom. At Thessalonica, the birthday of the holy martyrs Domninus, Victor, and their companions. At Constantinople, in the time of Constantius, the commemoration of many holy martyrs of the Catholic communion, whom the heresiarch Macedonius put to death by unheard-of kinds of torments. Among other tortures, they were burned with red-hot irons, and the breasts of Christian women were cut away between the lids of coffers. At Senlis in France, the death of St. Regulus, bishop of Arles. At Orleans in France, Bishop St. Pastor. At Syracuse, St. Zosimus, bishop and confessor. On Mount Sinai, Abbot St. John Climacus. At Aquileria in Spain, the confessor St. Peter RegulÃ¡tus, priest of the Order of Friars Minor. He was born in Valladolid, and restored the regular discipline in the Spanish monasteries. Pope Benedict XIV placed him on the roll of saints. At Aquino, St. Clinius confessor. And elsewhere in divers places, many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins. R. Thanks be to God.

[For many of those reluctant, it’s a feminist issue: “The Latin Mass conjures up images of images of women in black lace mantillas [and] an altar devoid of girls or women” and “There is a role for women in the modern Mass”. For priests who doubt they will ever offer a Traditional Latin Mass, at least one supposedly “good” reason: “I was ordained in 2009 and I don’t speak Latin” (a variation of an old saying: “You can’t teach a new dog old tricks”?)] As Latin Mass gains popularity, some in North Jersey reluctant to ‘turn back’ March 28, 2015 By BILL ERVOLINO www.northjersey.com/news/as-latin-mass-gains-popularity-some-in-north-jersey-reluctant-to-turn-back-1.1298231?page=all Latin Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Chapel in Pequannock. On Thursday, March 19, about 60 Catholics from North Jersey celebrated the Feast of St. Joseph with a high Mass at a church in Bergen County. The service began at 7:30 p.m. with a solemn procession, replete with flickering candles and incense, and ended 90 minutes later, with the priest shaking the hands of attendees — and requesting that neither his name nor the name of his church be revealed in this article. Unlike today’s Palm Sunday services and the parish’s other regularly scheduled Masses, this Mass was not listed on the monthly calendar of the church’s website, and few parishioners, save those who heard about it by word of mouth or on social media, were even aware that it was taking place. It was, as the service’s program indicated, a “Traditional Latin Mass.” And although most church officials refuse to describe renewed interest in this centuries-old ritual as problematic, there is no question that here in New Jersey — and around the world — a growing number of Catholics appear to be yearning for a service that their parishes discontinued in 1965. Although church leaders are reluctant to describe this emerging movement as controversial, it is, to many, emblematic of the different papal styles of traditionalist Benedict XVI (now pope emeritus) who made the Latin Mass more accessible to parishes in 2007, and Benedict’s liberal-leaning successor Pope Francis, who considers the Mass to be regressive. It has been 50 years since the Second Vatican Council (known as Vatican II) called upon churches to replace the Latin Mass with Masses done in the vernacular, or, as priests generally refer to it, the “novus ordo” or “new order.” On March 7, 1965, Pope Paul VI celebrated Mass in Italian, rather than Latin, for the first time, in accordance with the Vatican II novus ordo guidelines. And this month, Pope Francis did likewise, commemorating the anniversary of that milestone. According to the Catholic News Service, Francis also told parishioners, “You cannot turn back. We have to always go forward, always forward and who goes back is making a mistake.” Traditionalists who favor the Latin service, also known as the Tridentine Mass and “the extraordinary form,” were disappointed by the pope’s message, especially since Benedict XVI’s apostolic letter Summorum Pontificum, which reopened the door to the Tridentine Mass, said Continue Reading

Croydon priest who ‘married’ immigrant to help him get a UK passport is reinstated

Defining Doctrine Protects Divine Mystery

Why I didn’t sign the priests’ letter urging the synod to stand firm on marriage

Vatican newspaper runs article supporting France’s ‘stealth euthanasia’ bill

Where have all the sisters gone and how can we get them back?

The controversy surrounding Catholic Relief Services

MARTYROLOGY-MARCH 29

Enemies of Archbishop Cordileone betray[!?] Bishop McElroy, fellow Priests

The Coming Schism Or The One Already Here?

Illuminati Gives Pope Francis Two-Year Extension

Vinh, Vietnam: government uses violence to drive out Catholics from their parish

To Discredit the Traditionalist Movement

The SSPX’s relations with Rome, according to Archbishop Pozzo

Online Magazine Hypes ‘Yogaphobic’ Catholic Priests

“Rogue” Catholics in Society of St. Pius X to reopen West End church

Further evidence that things have run amok with Medjugorje…

Filipino Bishops Reverse Position on LGBT Non-Discrimination Bill

German Religious Superiors Call for Rethinking about Gay Couples

MARTYROLOGY-MARCH 30

As Latin Mass gains popularity, some in North Jersey reluctant to ‘turn back’